Atascocita quarterback Daveon Boyd (2) has been a key player for the Eagles for the past two years.

Atascocita quarterback Daveon Boyd (2) has been a key player for the Eagles for the past two years.

Photo: Eddy Matchette

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Atascosita No, 5 Dawud Shorts give a game winning sign , while last 25 seconds click for the clock.

Atascosita No, 5 Dawud Shorts give a game winning sign , while last 25 seconds click for the clock.

Photo: Tony Gaines

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Atascocita Head Football Coach Craig Stump

Atascocita Head Football Coach Craig Stump

Photo: Jerry Baker

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Atascocita quarterback Daveon Boyd and the rest of the Eagles were all smiles after their 31-24 overtime victory against Rowlett during a Class 6A-DI Region II regional playoff game Saturday, Nov. 28, 2015, in Waco. Go to HCNpics.com to view more photos from the game. less

Atascocita quarterback Daveon Boyd and the rest of the Eagles were all smiles after their 31-24 overtime victory against Rowlett during a Class 6A-DI Region II regional playoff game Saturday, Nov. 28, 2015, in ... more

Photo: Jason Fochtman

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Atascocita quarterback defensive Brandon Knight, left, is seen with quarterback Daveon Boyd after the Eagles defeated Roweltt 31-24 during a Class 6A-DI Region II regional playoff game Saturday, Nov. 28, 2015, in Waco. Go to HCNpics.com to view more photos from the game. less

However it happened, the Eagles are 2-0 - and that’s all that really matters.

“That’s what you set out to do,” coach Craig Stump said. “Some people think, ‘Well, they’re non-district games,’ and all that, (but) we don’t really think that way. We show up with the mindset of winning the game, so being 2-0 right now with this young team is a good feeling for them.”

It’s a great feeling considering they survived Dekaney without quarterback Daveon Boyd.

The prolific senior starter, who threw for 4,139 yards and 46 touchdowns last season, was held out for disciplinary reasons.

Stump said Boyd will return Saturday, Sept. 10, against Klein Oak.

“He’ll be fine,” Stump said.

“It’s a learning experience that not only will help him this year but will help him later in life, too. We had a team meeting on Wednesday before we came to practice and we addressed it, and they moved on from there.”

The Eagles moved on with wide receiver Dawud Shorts under center.

He completed 14 of 24 passes but only netted 108 yards, with one touchdown and one interception, while running for nine yards and a TD on 12 carries - a far cry from Boyd’s Week 1 performance.

But Stump said Shorts did what he had to do to lead Atascocita to victory.

He tossed a one-yard scoring pass to running back DeCarlos Demmeritte for the Eagles’ first lead in the second quarter, then rushed for a one-yard touchdown in the third for a 14-3 advantage.

“He did a really good job,” Stump said. “He took care of the football, didn’t turn it over, and that was the biggest thing. It was OK to punt. And then on the drives we did score on, he made the plays to get us down there.”

Still, the Eagles finished with a meager 168 total yards against a Dekaney defense loaded up to make Shorts throw.

Demmeritte had only 13 yards on six carries.

“We made the plays when we needed to make them,” Stump said.

“With Daveon not there, we ended up with just three starters back on offense, instead of four, and so we had a lot of young guys out there, and we’re a young team. But it isn’t really about the stats so much.

“It’s about the win.”

This win was about Atascocita’s defense.

The Eagles allowed only 215 total yards to a healthy Dekaney offense and forced three turnovers.

The Wildcats’ only points were field goals in the first and fourth quarters.

“We didn’t give up the big plays,” Stump said. “They had to earn everything. We didn’t give up the big, long pass, (and) we didn’t give up the home run, which is something that they do a lot. They’ve got tall receivers out there and they’ve been able to do that. They depend on that, and they didn’t get any of those.”

Stump said defense is the common denominator in both wins.

The Bulldogs finished with less than 300 yards (293) and scored only 10 points after halftime, despite piling up 20 first downs.

“Overall, defensively, we’ve bent but we haven’t broken,” Stump said. “We’ve given up some yards and first downs but not a lot of points. Last week against La Porte, they gave up one touchdown in the first half and one in the second, and the other one the offense caused. And then (last) week they gave up six - two field goals.”

Next up are the Panthers, who fell 29-28 to Langham Creek after a two-point conversion with no time left in Week 1.

“They’re a playoff team,” Stump said.

“I think Dekaney will do well also, (and) I think La Porte will do well. So three playoff teams to start out is going to give this team an understanding that every week is different and you’ve got to get better every week.”